Deepika Leaves Kalki Joins King
Deepika Padukone Exits ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ Sequel, Reunites with Shah Rukh Khan for ‘King’
Months after stepping away from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Prabhas-starrer, Deepika Padukone has now also been confirmed to not feature in the sequel to her last year’s hit, Kalki 2898 AD. The announcement came earlier this week from the film’s production house, Vyjayanthi Movies.
In a statement on their X handle, the makers wrote, “After careful consideration, we have decided to part ways. Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership. And a film like Kalki 2898 AD deserves that commitment and much more.”
While the statement didn’t reveal specific reasons for Padukone’s sudden exit, Bollywood insiders point to her increased fee and on-set demands as possible factors. Sources say the actress requested a 25% hike from her prequel fee and preferred a 7-hour shooting day. The producers reportedly offered luxury amenities and accommodations for her team in exchange for longer hours, but the actress declined.
Other reports suggest that Padukone’s role in the sequel had been reduced to a cameo, down from the larger character of SUM-80 (Sumathi) in the original film, which may have contributed to her decision to step away.
Stepping away from the sci-fi epic, Padukone has shifted focus to collaborating with Shah Rukh Khan, her longtime friend and frequent co-star, in the eagerly awaited action thriller King. Sharing her excitement on Instagram, she reflected on the importance of people over projects, subtly addressing her departure from Kalki 2898 AD.
“The very first lesson he taught me almost 18 years ago, while filming Om Shanti Om, was that the experience of making a movie, and the people you make it with, matter far more than its success,” she wrote. “I couldn’t agree more and have applied that learning to every decision I’ve made since. And that’s probably why we’re back making our 6th movie together?”
Siddharth Anand’s King also marks the theatrical debut of SRK’s daughter, Suhana Khan, alongside a star-studded cast including Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Jackie Shroff, Raghav Juyal, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Anil Kapoor.
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